Tennis

Djokovic pulls out; France eyes final

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-19 10:31

French tennis player Gael Monfils celebrates after teammates Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement beat Eduardo Schwank and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina in their Davis Cup world group doubles semi-final tennis match in Lyon September 18, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

World No 15 Gael Monfils then saw off David Nalbandian 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Llodra, the world No 30, showed no signs off the dizziness which forced him to retire in the US Open third round.

Service proved the key difference for the Frenchman as he sent down 22 aces compared to the Argentine's five.

"I was very nervous at the start," said Llodra. "But I had to focus and play my game because anything can happen in the Davis Cup."

In the playoffs to clinch a World Group place in 2011, Kazakhstan made the most of Roger Federer's decision not to play by opening a 2-0 lead over Switzerland in Astana.

Andrey Golubev saw off Marco Chiudinelli 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 before Mikhail Kukushkin defeated Stanislas Wawrinka, a player he had lost to in the first round of the US Open just two weeks ago, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

The United States, which has been the Davis Cup winner on a record 32 occasions, was1-1 with in Bogota where it is trying to avoid suffering a first relegation since 1988.

Colombia's Santiago Giraldo overturned a 40-place ranking difference to score a 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 win over world No 21 Sam Querrey after Mardy Fish had given the US the lead with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Alejandro Falla.

In Cairns, 28-time champion Australia was leading 2-1 against Belgium.

Former world No 1 Lleyton Hewitt put Australia ahead, overcoming 22-year-old Ruben Bemelmans in scorching conditions in just more than three hours 7-6 (4), 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. Olivier Rochus then beat Carsten Ball 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (5). In the doubles, Hewitt and Paul Hanley defeated Bemelmans and Rochus 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

In other play-offs, Brazil was 2-0 up India, Germany was 2-0 against South Africa while Israel was 2-1 in front against Austria. Italy and Sweden were 1-1 while Romania looked set for the World Group after opening a 2-0 lead against Ecuador.

Agence France-Presse